Conventionally, there has been a technique that allows a game device to recognize, for example, figures inputted by using coordinate input means (i.e., a pointing device such as a touch panel or a mouse) into the game device.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-245960, i.e., a patent document 1 discloses a technique that uses, for game processing, recognition results of, for example, figures inputted into a game device via a touch panel. In addition, the patent document 1 discloses that the game device outputs sound in order to prompt a player to perform an input operation after the player has not performed the input operation with the touch panel for a particular period of time, sets a time limit for accepting the input operation, and displays, on a screen, a remaining time which is until the device finishes accepting the input operation.
However, in some cases, the above described manner disclosed in the patent document 1 for prompting a player to perform the input operation with the pointing device may not be appropriate. For example, when a player plays a certain type of game, the player might get annoyed if, every time the player performs the input operation with the touch panel, a game device outputs the sound, sets the time limit and displays the remaining time as described above. Also, the above described sound and display interfere with smooth sound output and image display of the game.
Therefore, a feature of certain exemplary embodiments is to provide a game program and a game device which are capable of appropriately informing, when required, a player that an input operation using coordinate input means is required to be performed quickly.
Certain exemplary embodiments have the following aspects to attain the feature mentioned above. Note that reference numerals and the like indicated between parentheses are merely provided to facilitate the understanding of the certain exemplary embodiments described herein in relation to the drawings, rather than limiting the scope of the certain exemplary embodiments in any way.
A first aspect of certain exemplary embodiments is a computer-readable storage medium storing a game program for causing a computer (21), which is connected to display means (12) for displaying a game image, coordinate input means (15) for inputting coordinates corresponding to a point on a screen of the display means and a memory (24) for temporarily storing data, to function as storing means, invalidating means, game processing means, track image generating means and display control means. The storing means is for, from a start of coordinates inputting until an end of coordinates inputting by the coordinate input means, sequentially storing into the memory, as a piece of valid coordinate data, a piece of coordinate data indicating the coordinates inputted by the coordinate input means (S46); the invalidating means is for sequentially invalidating a piece of valid coordinate data in a valid coordinate data array stored in the memory, when a predetermined period of time has passed after the piece of valid coordinate data has been stored into the memory (S40); the game processing means is for performing game processing by using the valid coordinate data array stored in the memory (S18 to S28); track image generating means is for generating an image of an operation track which comprises points respectively corresponding to a plurality of pieces of valid coordinate data stored in the memory, the image having a display mode which partially changes according to a remaining time until each of the plurality of pieces of valid coordinate data stored in the memory is invalidated by the invalidating means (S16); and display control means is for causing the display means to display, according to a result of the game processing by the game processing means, a game image including the image of the operation track generated by the track image generating means (S32).
“Invalidate a piece of coordinate data” of the above first aspect means, for example, setting a value which indicates the remaining valid time of the piece of coordinate data to “0”, deleting the piece of coordinate data from the memory, or setting a flag which indicates whether or not the piece of coordinate data is valid to “invalid”. On the other hand, “a piece of valid coordinate data” means, for example, a piece of coordinate data whose remaining valid time is indicated by the above value as “1” or greater, or a piece of coordinate data stored in the memory (i.e., a piece of coordinate data which has not been deleted from the memory), or a piece of coordinate data stored in the memory regarding which the flag, which indicates whether or not the piece of coordinate data is valid, is set to “valid”.
In a second aspect of certain exemplary embodiments based on the above first aspect, the track image generating means partially changes a width of the image of the operation track.
In a third aspect of certain exemplary embodiments based on the above first aspect, the track image generating means partially changes a color of the image of the operation track.
In a fourth aspect of certain exemplary embodiments based on the above first aspect, the image of the operation track, which is generated by the track image generating means, comprises a plurality of operation track element images (FIG. 23) respectively corresponding to line segments which respectively connect points respectively corresponding to a plurality of pieces of valid coordinate data, the points being connected in an order in which the plurality of pieces of valid coordinate data has been inputted; and the track image generating means changes the display mode of each of the plurality of operation track element images, according to a remaining time until a piece of coordinate data of at least one end of a corresponding line segment is invalidated by the invalidating means.
In a fifth aspect of certain exemplary embodiments based on the above fourth aspect, the track image generating means gradually narrows a width of each of the plurality of operation track element images as the remaining time decreases, the remaining time being a time period until a piece of coordinate data of at least one end of a corresponding line segment is invalidated by the invalidating means.
In a sixth aspect of certain exemplary embodiments based on the above fourth aspect, the track image generating means gradually lightens a color of each of the plurality of operation track element images as the remaining time decreases, the remaining time being a time period until a piece of coordinate data of at least one end of a corresponding line segment is invalidated by the invalidating means.
In a seventh aspect of certain exemplary embodiments based on the above first aspect, the game processing means performs predetermined game processing (S20, S24, S28) corresponding to a predetermined condition (S18, S22, S26) when a shape of the operation track, which comprises points respectively corresponding to the valid coordinate data array stored in the memory, satisfies the predetermined condition.
An eighth aspect of certain exemplary embodiments is a computer-readable storage medium storing a game program for causing a computer (21), which is connected to display means (12) for displaying a game image, coordinate input means (15) for inputting coordinates corresponding to a point on a screen of the display means and a memory (24) for temporarily storing data, to function as storing means, invalidating means, game processing means and display control means. The storing means is for, from a start of coordinates inputting until an end of coordinates inputting by the coordinate input means, sequentially storing into the memory, as a piece of valid coordinate data, a piece of coordinate data indicating the coordinates inputted by the coordinate input means (S46); the invalidating means is for sequentially invalidating a piece of valid coordinate data in a valid coordinate data array stored in the memory, when a predetermined period of time has passed after the piece of valid coordinate data has been stored into the memory (S40); the game processing means is for performing predetermined game processing (S20, S24, S28) corresponding to a predetermined condition (S18, S22, S26) when a shape of an operation track, which comprises points respectively corresponding to the valid coordinate data array stored in the memory, satisfies the predetermined condition; and the display control means for causing the display means to display a game image according to a result of the game processing by the game processing means (S32).
In a ninth aspect of certain exemplary embodiments based on the above eighth aspect, the predetermined condition is that a discretionarily-selected area on the screen is circled by the operation track.
In a tenth aspect of certain exemplary embodiments based on the above eighth aspect, the predetermined condition is that the operation track crosses a predetermined area on the screen.
An eleventh aspect of certain exemplary embodiments is a game device, comprising: display means (12) for displaying a game image; coordinate input means (15) for inputting coordinates corresponding to a point on a screen of the display means; a memory (24) for temporarily storing data; storing means (21) for, from a start of coordinates inputting until an end of coordinates inputting by the coordinate input means, sequentially storing into the memory, as a piece of valid coordinate data, a piece of coordinate data indicating the coordinates inputted by the coordinate input means; invalidating means (21) for sequentially invalidating a piece of valid coordinate data in a valid coordinate data array stored in the memory, when a predetermined period of time has passed after the piece of valid coordinate data has been stored into the memory; game processing means (21) for performing game processing by using the valid coordinate data array stored in the memory; track image generating means (21) for generating an image of an operation track which comprises points respectively corresponding to a plurality of pieces of valid coordinate data stored in the memory, the image having a display mode which partially changes according to a remaining time until each of the plurality of pieces of valid coordinate data stored in the memory is invalidated by the invalidating means; and display control means (21) for causing the display means to display, according to a result of the game processing by the game processing means, a game image including the image of the operation track generated by the track image generating means.
According to the above first aspect of certain exemplary embodiments, the display mode of the image of the operation track partially changes according to the remaining time until each of a plurality of pieces of coordinate data respectively corresponding to points constituting the operation track becomes invalidated. Therefore, a player can visually recognize the remaining valid time of each portion of the operation track, which has been drawn on the screen of the display means by using the coordinate input means. Thus, the player can easily recognize whether a speed of a coordinate input operation performed by the player was appropriate. This makes it possible to prompt, without generating warning sound from the game device or indicating a time limit, the player to quickly perform the coordinate input operation. Especially according to the above second and third aspects, the player can intuitively recognize the remaining valid time of each portion of the operation track. Especially according to the above fourth aspect, the image of the operation track is easily generated in any shape.
According to the above eighth aspect of certain exemplary embodiments, each piece of valid coordinate data inputted via the coordinate input means is sequentially invalidated according to a remaining valid time, and the predetermined game processing is performed when the shape of the operation track, which comprises points corresponding to the valid coordinate data array, satisfies the predetermined condition. Therefore, in order for the predetermined game processing to be performed, the player is required to quickly perform the input operation. This makes it possible to prompt, without generating warning sound from the game device or indicating a time limit, the player to quickly perform the coordinate input operation.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the certain exemplary embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the certain exemplary embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.